“Sunderland’s Table-Topping Streak Faces a Tough Test as They Travel to Struggling Preston North End in Crucial Midweek Championship Clash!”
“Preston North End and Sunderland Head Into Midweek Championship Clash with Opposite Fortunes – Can Preston Upset High-Flying Sunderland Again?”
The two clubs have experienced drastically different campaigns so far, with Sunderland enjoying a strong start at the top of the Championship table, while Preston have struggled to find consistency. However, it was Preston who handed Sunderland their first defeat of the Regis Le Bris era back in August, when they knocked the Black Cats out of the Carabao Cup.
Since then, Preston, managed by former Sunderland managerial target Paul Heckingbottom, have only managed to win one of their last five league matches. Their most recent outing saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Bristol City, further denting their momentum.
On the other hand, Sunderland, who currently sit top of the Championship with 29 points, have been solid so far this season. However, their most recent outing saw them held to a 0-0 draw against QPR at Loftus Road, ending a run of three consecutive wins. As they face a struggling Preston, the Black Cats will be looking to get back to winning ways and extend their lead at the top of the table.
With both teams heading into the clash on the back of contrasting results, this midweek Championship fixture promises to be an exciting one, with Sunderland hoping to maintain their place at the top, while Preston will be eager to prove they can upset one of the league’s frontrunners again.
Sam Parkin, speaking on the Championship Check In podcast ahead of the midweek clash between Preston North End and Sunderland, has shared his score prediction for the game at Deepdale. Despite Sunderland’s strong form at the top of the Championship, Parkin believes Preston will once again prove a tough test for the Black Cats, though he doesn’t foresee the home side claiming all three points.“I’m going for lightning to strike twice,” Parkin said.
“I’m not going for the 0-0… I’m going to go for Preston to get a point here. I’ll go for a 1-1.”
With both teams heading into the fixture with differing recent results, Parkin’s prediction suggests he expects Preston to be resilient and frustrate Sunderland’s pursuit of a win, potentially halting their momentum in the process.
Parkin elaborated further on his thoughts about Preston’s potential to disrupt Sunderland’s flow in the upcoming match. “I think they had plenty of attempts the other day, against Bristol City. As I said, Bristol City were incredibly clinical. But I think Preston are going to be competitive in this type of game, and maybe fancy them to frustrate Sunderland.”
Parkin’s analysis highlights Preston’s ability to compete and possibly create problems for Sunderland despite their current position in the table. With Preston’s strong defensive organization, they could prove difficult to break down, particularly with Sunderland coming off a frustrating 0-0 draw against QPR.
Yes, Sam Parkin did predict the QPR vs Sunderland score correctly. He accurately forecasted a 0-0 draw before the match, explaining that although everything pointed towards a Sunderland win, he felt the team’s winning streak had to come to an end at some point. His prediction proved to be spot on as Sunderland were held to a draw at Loftus Road, ending their three-match winning run.
The head-to-head (H2H) record between Preston North End and Sunderland shows a fairly competitive history.
In the 2023/24 season, Preston won 2-1 at Deepdale, while Sunderland claimed a 2-0 victory at the Stadium of Light. The Carabao Cup tie in August 2024 saw Preston beat Sunderland 2-0.
However, Sunderland’s win at Deepdale on New Year’s Day 2024 ended a 20-year wait for a victory there. During the previous nine meetings at Deepdale over two decades, Preston had won six times, with Sunderland only claiming one victory.
The upcoming match between the two teams is set for 8pm on Wednesday night and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.